Mass Media

Question 1

refers to forms of communication that reach large audiences. a central part of life in modern society. includes newspapers, magazines, books, tv, cinema, internet

Answer 1

mass media

Question 2

reaching a large audience of thousands of perhaps millions

Answer 2

mass communication

Question 3

the changing technology of communication e.g the printing press and television

Answer 3

technological change

Question 4

web based content by both amateurs and professional writers. individuals contribute their own content that reflects their own experiences, interests and prejudices

Answer 4

blog

Question 5

influencing social attitudes and government policy

Answer 5

agency of social change

Question 6

an alternative reality based on the individual’s experience of the mass media - particularly tv and internet. some people appear to be unable to distinguish between the virtual world and the everyday world

Answer 6

hyperreality

Question 7

lacking connection with the social world. those who experience this feeling may place great value on what they see on television

Answer 7

alienated/alienation

Question 8

a virtual world that becomes more important to the individual than their day to day lived experience

Answer 8

culture of simulation

Question 9

a virtual community that enables members to establish a user profile and communicate and share images and information

Answer 9

social networking site

Question 10

theories about the mass media that sees variety and competition as healthy signs of a working democracy

Answer 10

pluralism

Question 11

a small dominate group that may own and control the mass media. the ruling class

Answer 11

elite

Question 12

a general view of the way society works

Answer 12

world view

Question 13

a political approach based on the belief that governments should limit their activity to maintaining law and order. in particular, governments should not interfere with market forces in the economy

Answer 13

neo-liberalism

Question 14

the selection and control of information, usually for political ends

Answer 14

propaganda

Question 15

preventing certain information from becoming public knowledge

Answer 15

censorship

Question 16

the democratic principle that protects legitimate comment regarding the actions of the government or matters of public interest

Answer 16

freedom of speech

Question 17

not taking a neutral view but favouring one side of an argument or debate

Answer 17

bias

Question 18

one who has editorial control over media content

Answer 18

gatekeeper

Question 19

managing the message to influence the way in which events are reported. often used by politicians to control the media

Answer 19

spin

Question 20

the identity that individuals wish to present to the world eg the media image of a particular politician as young and dynamic

Answer 20

image

Question 21

when the technologies of the media, telecommunications and computing come together in one product eg some digital television services allow us to access the internet as well as text, email, shop and bank through our tv sets

Answer 21

convergence

Question 22

the consumer’s ability to interact with a media product eg reality tv show voting

Answer 22

interactivity

Question 23

the lifelong process of learning the skills, customs, attitudes, norms and values of your culture. mass media is a secondary agency of this

Answer 23

socialisation

Question 24

a simple, fixed mental image, usually unfavourable of a group generally based on the behaviour of a few individuals within that group

Answer 24

stereotype

Question 25

the idea that information is now available almost instantly in a global marketplace

Answer 25

world information order

Question 26

the idea that many cultural values (generally western and often american) are now shared by people across the world

Answer 26

global culture

Question 27

the idea that western cultural values are imposed by a dominant media empire (swamping local cultures that lack the resources to match the volume of media output from companies like the US)

Answer 27

media imperialism

Question 28

the transmission of cultural values through mass media of communication eg television

Answer 28

mass culture

Question 29

the process by which we acquire our political values, beliefs and preferences. the media are often our main source of information about politicians and current affairs

Answer 29

political socialisation

Question 30

the idea that the television replaced the fireplaces as the focus of the living room

Answer 30

substitute hearth

Question 31

simple media image based on prejudice

Answer 31

media stereotype

Question 32

long periods of exposure to particular media messages

Answer 32

cumulative effect

Question 33

publication aimed at a young male readership often containing images of women as sex objects

Answer 33

lads' magazine

Question 34

patterns of behaviour that are based on society's norms and expectations eg masculinity and femininity

Answer 34

social construct

Question 35

generally accepted and expected patterns of behaviour in a particular society

Answer 35

norms and expectations

Question 36

the dominant political and social values of western society eg freedom of speech, free elections

Answer 36

liberal democratic values

Question 37

a generally expected form of social behaviour eg politeness and consideration for the needs of others

Answer 37

social conventions

Question 38

to mark a particular social group/individual as something different, disproved of and often dangerous to others

Answer 38

stigmatise

Question 39

when media coverage of an issue leads to exaggerated public concern

Answer 39

moral panic

Question 40

a global system of interconnected computers

Answer 40

internet

Question 41

large room-sized early computers that stored data using reel-to-reel magnetic tape and were programmed using cardboard slips with holes punched in them

Answer 41

mainframe computers

Question 42

print media and electronic communications developed during the mid 20th century or earlier. includes books, newspapers, magazines, television, radio and cinema

Answer 42

old media

Question 43

computerised communications technology including internet, mobile phones, digital radio, cable and satellite tv, dvds, video games etc

Answer 43

new media

Question 44

the enormous volume of modern electronic communications (sometimes more than an individual can cope with)

Answer 44

information overload

Question 45

unwanted and unasked for bulk electronic messages accounting for much of the increased volume of email traffic

Answer 45

SPAM

Question 46

the postal equivalent of SPAM

Answer 46

junk mail

Question 47

the selling of goods and services over telephone.

Answer 47

telesales

Question 48

a huge corporation or company formed by the merging of different firms. media versions of these have stakes across a range of media eg newspapers, films and digital tv services. operate on a global rather than a national scale.

Answer 48

conglomerate

Question 49

the ability of the media to focus public attention on particular topics and thereby direct public discussion and debate onto these topics. they discuss some issues and leave out others

Answer 49

agenda setting

Question 50

the programme controllers, editors, journalists and owners who decide what to cover and how to present it

Answer 50

media gatekeepers

Question 51

the ability of the media to present some behaviour, groups and views positively and others negatively, thereby shaping public opinion on these groups

Answer 51

norm referencing

Question 52

media professionals' values about what issues and personalities are considered newsworthy, topical or important.

Answer 52

news values

Question 53

a division or gap between those who have access to new media technology and those who do not

Answer 53

digital divide

Question 54

a group of people who try to persuade the government to adopt a particular policy or to influence public opinion on an issue

Answer 54

pressure group